By Melissa Calvert
When you find someone having an irrational fear of any situation they think that can harm them is called phobia. Phobias are generally defined as mental disorders and include experiences where phobic has an intense fear of a particular situation or object.
Derived from the Greek word Phobos, phobia means “horror.” However, these horrors are different from regular horror and bring a lot of stress and trauma to the person experiencing it, resulting in interfering with their personal and professional lives.
People with phobia in America are considered as patients with anxiety disorders. According to resources, more than 40% of Americans have some kind of phobia that makes them avoid and ignore a particular situation or object because of the intense fear of harm.
If you are keen to know if you are phobic or not, look out for the following symptoms and advise them to pay attention to subsequent treatments.
Different Categories Of Phobias
Following are the categories of phobias out of which your friend may be experiencing one or more than one. To be accurate about it, be watchful in reading and gazing at the dilemma and treat your patient accordingly.
Hydrophobia, Fear Of Water
Extreme fear of water can be called hydrophobia. It is a clinical trait of human rabies.
Symptoms
- Panicking while near water
- Feel of choking
- The need to escape
- Fear of dying
- Fits
Treatment
The preferred treatment for hydrophobia is exposure therapy. Via this treatment, the phobic is frequently exposed to the source of the phobia and examined.
In this case, the source is water, so the person obtaining a cure will be exposed to water. The therapist will look over his behaviors, actions, reactions, feelings, and thoughts to offer the best help and manage anxiety.
Acrophobia, Fear Of Heights
One of the most common phobias around the world includes Acrophobia, which is the extreme fear of height. This state can be seen during direct and indirect contact of height.
Today millions of Americans have Acrophobia, but fortunately, the treatment is available, and with the help of therapies, people can get over it and move forward in their life.
Symptoms
- The common symptoms of Acrophobia are as follows.
- Increased heart rate
- Increased sweating
- Shaking and trembling
- Feeling sick
Its causes can include environmental or genetic factors or any distressing event that may have happened in the past.
Astraphobia, Fear Of Thunder And Lightning
Astraphobia is also recognized as brontophobia, where the patient has an extreme and irrational fear of loud voices happening in the environment.
People with Astrophobia are mostly scared of thunder sounds and lightning din. Though you cannot call this state a disease, people with Astrophobia avoid going out in bad weather so they can stay away from those roaring sounds.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of Astrophobia include
- Racing pulse
- Aggressive behavior
- Sweaty palms
Treatment
Treatment for Astrophobia is also possible. Depending on the patient, it can include clinical therapies or anxiety medications.
Hemophobia, Fear Of Blood
Homophobia is the irrational fear of blood. This is one of the weirdest phobias in the world. Those who fear blood are scared of injuries.
This category of phobia falls under specific phobias and is indicated with blood-injection-injury (BII) in the novel publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
The causes can include trauma from past events, overprotective parents and Genetics.
Symptoms
Symptoms are usually:
- Increased heart rate
- Lightheadedness
- Shivering
- Cold sweating
- Nausea
Treatment
To treat homophobia, patients can go for exposure and cognitive therapy to identify the sense of fear when exposed to blood.
Trypanophobia, Fear Of Needles
Trypanophobia includes anxiousness from needles, especially injections. The people who have trypanophobia have extreme anxiety from medical procedures that consist of injections or any other sharp tool.
The folks in fear here are primarily children because they are afraid of injection and the prickling it causes to the skin. As the children grow into adults, most of them come out of this fright and conquer their fears.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of trypanophobia are:
- Shivering
- Fear of dying
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness
Treatment
Clinical therapies and meditation can treat trypanophobia.
Aerophobia, Fear Of Flying
One of those fears that every fifth person has is known as Aerophobia. This is the persistent and irrational fear of flying in an airplane.
It can include fear of fresh air, high altitudes and airplane noise. People who are phobic to flights generally avoid taking tours to foreign countries and love spending time exploring their own countryside.
The fear, however, is not irrational. They might have seen a plane crash or have genetic fear of heights.
Symptoms
Widespread signs of Aerophobia are:
- Choking sensation
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Increased heart rate
- Chills
- Nausea
Treatment
This state can be treated using anti-anxiety pills before and during flight because therapy is not much beneficial in this case.
Claustrophobia, Fear Of Confined And Crowded Places
Claustrophobia is one of the most common phobias worldwide. People with claustrophobia experience severe anxiety when present in a small and limited space. While many claustrophobics can have acute discomfort, many start having panic attacks, making the situation worse for them.
The people during this condition feel like they cannot breathe and are losing control. Claustrophobia is often triggered by traumatic experiences during early childhood where they were trapped, bullied, or abused.
Symptoms
Symptoms of claustrophobia include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Choking
- Chest pain
- Trembling
- chills
Treatment
VR therapy is the most effective treatment of claustrophobia. Other than this, meditation and medical treatment are also good options.
[Related: Virtual Reality Might Be the Next Big Thing for Mental Health]
Autophobia, Fear Of Being Alone
The fear of being lonely and alone is generally recognized by this category of phobia, i.e. Autophobia. While looking to buy coursework online, I found that, “People who feel lonely all the time and have a fear of aloneness and isolation come under this class and need another person to make them feel safe and protected.”
Symptoms
Common symptoms of Autophobia include:
- Dizziness
- Shivering
- Hyperventilation
- Sweating
- Throbbing
Treatment
- Treatment includes clinical therapies
- gratitude journaling
- medications
Arachnophobia, Fear Of Spiders
Weird but real, people actually have a fear of spiders and other arachnids. They feel like spiders will cling to them and cause them severe harm.
The cause may include Dr James Antherton’s study where he found many people were dying because of the flock of spiders attacking the locals.
It is rare and not very commonly found globally.
Symptoms
- Symptoms can be:
- Nausea
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Increased pulse rate
Treatment
Arachnophobia can be only treated by cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy.
Entomophobia, Fear Of Insects
Similar to Arachnophobia, Entomophobia is the extreme fear of insects. This specific category of phobia is very common and brings great anxiety to the sufferers.
Symptoms
Common symptoms are:
- Hyperventilation
- Difficulty breathing
- Shivering
- Panic attacks
Treatment
This illness can be treated via cognitive behavioral therapy, medication, or exposure therapy.
Author Bio
Melissa Calvert is a devoted Lifestyle Counselor at Dissertation Assistance. She is one of the best people to get in touch with if you are looking for personal statement help at reasonable rates.